Real Madrid 1 Real Valladolid 1: Guardiola denies Zidane's men

Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw by Real Valladolid in their first home game of the season on Saturday.

Karim Benzema's precise strike with eight minutes to play looked enough to earn Zinedine Zidane's side a second win from two LaLiga matches in 2019-20, only for Sergi Guardiola to level late on.

Madrid started their first home game of the season with none of their new signings in the first XI, as Zidane put faith in Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez and Isco despite weeks of speculation over their futures.

It was Bale who looked likeliest to break the deadlock in the first half, prodding a first-time effort just wide of the left-hand post and sending a header over the crossbar.

James also twice came close with a good strike and a header, but Valladolid goalkeeper Jordi Masip was left relatively untroubled despite Madrid's dominance.

Luka Jovic was sent on from the bench for his home debut and struck the crossbar with a header from Bale's cross - his first touch of the game.

Waldo Rubio was denied by Thibaut Courtois while Guardiola just failed to turn in a cross on the break, and Benzema's sharp turn and finish from 18 yards out looked to have punished those misses.

That was until the 88th minute, when Guardiola raced into space behind Raphael Varane and prodded the ball through the legs of Courtois.

Excelsior High school recovered from their opening-day loss to defending champions Kingston College to comprehensively defeat Dunoon Technical in action from Saturday’s games.

In other games on Saturday St Andrew Technical were the biggest winners, handing Northern Technical a 12-0 beating that wasn’t the best welcome they could have envisioned to the competition.

St George’s College, perennial contenders, also started well, destroying Ardenne High 5-1, while St Catherine High were massive 8-1 winners over Oberlin.

Cumberland edged St Jago High 1-0 in a St Catherine derby, while Kingston High and Charlie Smith played out a 1-1 draw. Denham Town were not in the mood to give anything away, beating Ascot 1-0, while the Kingston College train kept rolling with the 5-0 schellacking of Pembroke Hall.

Defending Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division champions Naparima College have slipped while newcomers Malick Secondary have announced themselves as real contenders with their second win from as many games.

The victory put Malick at the top of the table as the only team to have kept a 100 per cent win record to date in addition to a healthy + seven after their 5-0 thrashing of Speyside Secondary last week.

This week, things were a little closer as Trinity College Moka returned from their 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Presentation College last week to put in a much improved performance.

Despite giving nearly as good as they got, Trinity College Moka are now second from bottom, just ahead of Speyside Secondary who also fell to a second defeat.

Speyside, who were destroyed on opening weekend, found the going no easier against St Anthony’s College who blew them away 7-1.

St Anthony’s are now in third place on the tables with four points along with Naparima College, who are in fourth after their 2-2 draw on Saturday.

There are two other teams on four points, with East Mucurapo Secondary in second and Trinity College East in fifth also in the running for a title, at least in the early going.

Presentation College were pegged back 2-1 by Carapichaima East, who like them, are now on three points in sixth and eighth places respectively.

St Benedict’s College got off the mark against St Mary’s College (CIC) but had to work hard after the latter joined them at 2-2 before they pulled away.

Pleasantville Secondary also had a turnaround on Saturday, losing to Queen’s Royal College 4-2. QRC were coming off 6-0 loss and now lie 10th with this victory.

St Augustine Secondary have had two draws this season, this week, Trinity College East too tough to get by in a 2-2 affair.

San Juan North Secondary are yet to get off the mark, after their bye this week.